2018 Jaguar F-Type range – 400 Sport special edition

Jaguar has unveiled the model year 2018 Jaguar F-Type range, plus a special 400 Sport launch edition. The latter will be offered worldwide but only for a year.

The 400 Sport features an uprated version of the firm’s supercharged 3.0 litre V6 with maximum power increased from 380 PS to 400 PS. Customers will be able to choose between rear- and all-wheel drive, and all models get the eight-speed Quickshift transmission and mechanical limited-slip differential.

The extra power is complemented by an uprated chassis comprising ‘Super Performance’ braking system featuring 380 mm front and 376 mm rear discs and black calipers with the 400 Sport logo, 20-inch wheels with a unique Dark Grey Satin finish and the Configurable Dynamics system which allows drivers to select individual settings for the throttle, transmission, steering and dampers.

Buyers of the 400 Sport can choose from Indus Silver, Santorini Black or Yulong White paint. There are unique badges at the front and rear, and the car comes with the Sport Design Pack comprising a more prominent front splitter, extended side sills and rear diffuser finished in Dark Satin Grey.

Inside, yellow contrast stitching is used throughout the leather interior, and the 400 Sport logo is embroidered into the headrests of the Performance seats with 12-way adjustment. Additional branding is applied to the steering wheel, black brushed aluminium centre console finisher and the sill treadplates. Anodised aluminium gearshift paddles are included.

Now, to the rest of the updated range, which comprise 22 derivatives, from the RWD 340 PS F-Type to the 320 km/h AWD F-Type SVR. The 380 PS V6 F-Type R-Dynamic replaces the similarly-powered V6S of today.

There’s clearer visual range differentiation thanks to model-specific front bumpers. In place of its predecessor’s double ‘shark gill’ apertures, the new F-Type features large, powerful single apertures with a lozenge mesh design. The F-Type R-Dynamic model gains gloss black bezels.

Reflecting the step up in power and performance, the 550 PS V8 R features larger, wider apertures with a horizontal blade to accentuate the car’s visual width. The 575 PS V8 SVR gets unique apertures designed to offer the max airflow and aerodynamic efficiency.

There are also new full LED headlights. The J-Blade daytime running lights are retained, but they now double as the direction indicators, with the lamp’s ‘eyelid’ indexing with the bonnet’s cutline to further accentuate the lights’ multi-layered graphics. Adaptive Front Lighting auto switches between City, Country, Motorway and Bad Weather modes. The LED rear light clusters now sport darker lenses.

The addition of lightweight slimline seats and new chrome and aluminium trim finishers heighten the driver-focused feel of the interior and perfectly complement the enhanced interior colour schemes including the Siena Tan leather option now available across the range.

Every F-Type now features the Touch Pro infotainment system. Jaguar promises ‘super-fast’ responses, intuitive tablet-style operation, intelligent navigation functions such as Share ETA and online services such as real-time traffic and live weather reports.

The new lightweight slimline seats have pressure diecast magnesium alloy frames, and the chairs are over 8 kg lighter than the old ones. They come with more supportive backrest bolsters and up to 50 mm increased rearward adjustment, which enables a lower seating position and increased legroom.

The slimline seats come in two forms: Sport and Performance. The F-Type and F-Type R-Dynamic model lines come with the Sport version. The Performance version, which has more detailing and more pronounced wings at shoulder height, is standard on the 400 Sport, R and SVR – each with unique branding on the headrests.

All models now feature a Satin Chrome finish on the push start button and gearshift paddles. A Noble Chrome finish is applied – as a jewel-like accent – to the door switch packs, air vent bezels and steering wheel. The centre console gains three new finishers to further differentiate the models in the range, with carbon fibre on the options list. Semi-automated park-assist (like Active Park Assist on the Ford Focus) makes its debut here.

For those who like to record their drive adventures, Jaguar’s new ReRun app developed in collaboration with GoPro will be a good assistant. ReRun combines real-time video from the driver’s GoPro with performance data including speed, throttle position, gear selection, braking force and g force. The video – including unique ‘highlights’ sections – can be downloaded to the driver’s phone and shared online.

GALLERY: 2018 Jaguar F-Type 400 Sport

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